Chair’s Report
Mid way through 2019 I was humbled to take over the reins as Chair of Sydney Dance Company in our 50th anniversary year, having served on the Board since 2015 and as Deputy Chair since 2018. My sincere thanks go to my predecessor Karen Moses, for her outstanding leadership over the seven years she served on the Board and with three of those as Chair. Her clearsighted guidance and stewardship has helped position us for the challenges in front of us. Sydney Dance Company’s 50th birthday year was a milestone both on and off the stage. It gave us a moment to pause and take stock. To reflect on what has been achieved over that time and to focus on what the future looks like. We undertook that 2019 would be a year that marked not just a celebration of the past 50 years, but an establishment of the foundations of the next five decades. As the company celebrated its artistic legacy with a diverse program of new Australian work, we were also busy with ongoing activity around the renewal of our home at Walsh Bay. The revitalisation of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct will be a landmark turning point for the Performing Arts in Sydney. As one of the original tenants in the precinct – who helped the area come alive and be synonymous with theatre, dance and music – we know that our future will be bright and expansive from our reimagined home there. A great number of people have rallied behind that vision for the future and I do want to thank them for their leadership as over the course of 2019 we continued detailed work on the development, in lock step with the NSW Government; The Neilson Foundation, Simon and Catriona Mordant, The Wales Family Foundation, Jane and Andrew Clifford, Carla Zampatti and Julian and Lizanne Knights. Each has made a significant contribution to our Capital Campaign and along with many others, their collective support means we look to a future where our artists will create their work in fit for purpose and world class facilities. Sydney Dance Company had a busy year across 2019 with an extensive performance schedule as well as the far-reaching education and access activities which traverse the nation. Our open dance class programs continue to provide a valuable participation pathway for thousands of attendees. Despite operating in temporary premises at Ultimo, the team has continued to ensure that Sydney Dance Company remains accessible for as many people as possible. It was pleasing to end the year with a surplus of $825,139 which is comprised of an annual operational surplus of $10,850 in addition to a surplus result for the Capital Campaign, noting the bulk of our outflows for that project will take place in 2020. It is sobering to note that these results are being posted during the global Covid-19
pandemic and the future of the performing arts, along with many other industries, will be significantly impacted. Sydney Dance Company is positioned to withstand the headwinds of this challenge, but it will certainly bring additional pressures throughout 2020 and into 2021. My sincere thanks go to the NSW Government for their ongoing support of Sydney Dance Company. We are enormously grateful for the investment they are making in Walsh Bay and in furnishing the Company with temporary premises in this once-in-a-generation period. The Australian Federal Government continues to support Sydney Dance Company through the Australia Council for the Arts and we thank them for that valuable assistance. Government support of the arts is vital for the cultural life of Australia to flourish and Sydney Dance Company is proud to be a flag bearer as we tour the world. I was thrilled to be able to join the company in Europe and see first-hand the extraordinary response the dancers received. Standing ovations and sold out performances at every stop! Sydney Dance Company exists as a company driven to create new work as well as increase access to dance to the broadest possible range of people. Our efforts in the areas of commissioning new work, education, outreach and training would not be possible without the support of the donor family and corporate partners who share the vision with us. Thank you. This ongoing support is essential to the sustainability of this company and is truly and warmly appreciated. To Anne and Rafael, the talented management, staff and dancers of Sydney Dance Company, we do not exist without your dedication, tenacity and creativity. Thanks to your collective contribution, truly in 2019 our art reached new heights of international acclaim and excellence. It has been a journey over many years to achieve these outcomes and Anne and Rafael are a formidable combination. This is an arts organisation of which all Australians should rightly feel proud. To my fellow Board members, I extend my sincerest gratitude. We are fortunate to have such a diverse and capable set of individuals around the table, all of whom demonstrate great commitment and passion for advancing the cause of Sydney Dance Company. As we confront the impacts from Covid-19 on our organisation, the alignment and capability among this group is a great asset. All of us are committed to seeing through the current period of disruption and protecting what is special about Sydney Dance Company – so we can come through to the other side shining, and as hungry as ever to make Australia and the world that much more vibrant, providing inspiration to our audiences at a time when it is never more needed.
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2019 Impact Report
Brett Clegg, Chair
